All Blacks to face Ireland in Chicago rematch

The All Blacks and Ireland will meet in Chicago this November - the same venue that sparked the great modern rugby rivalry.

The rivalry between the teams goes back 120 years to the first time the two sides met in 1905, but has taken on an extra edge since Ireland beat the All Blacks for the first time in 2016 at Soldier Field, with a 40-29 win.

Now, nearly a decade later, the All Blacks and Ireland will return to the iconic Chicago venue to settle the score.

Since the 2016 showdown, the two sides have battled it out in 10 Test matches, securing five wins apiece.

The teams’ most recent Test saw the All Blacks win 23-13 in Dublin during the 2024 Northern Tour, but Ireland’s recent success includes an historic Grand Slam during their Six Nations campaign in 2023, and a series win in New Zealand in 2022.

“We’re excited to be taking the All Blacks back to Chicago, and for it to be against Ireland is especially fitting. We have massive respect for the Irish, and recent history between our two teams means that this will be a highly anticipated match up. Both teams have passionate fans who will be keen to make an occasion of travelling to the game at such an iconic venue,” NZR Chief Executive Mark Robinson said.

NZR was looking forward to bringing the game to American sports fans, with the event providing opportunity to grow rugby on a global scale and in the US, Robinson said.

“Rugby is experiencing great momentum in the US, particularly with the upcoming Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033, and with the growth of Major League Rugby. The US is part of our wider global strategy, and we’re looking forward to this match as part of our ongoing engagement with North America.”

All Blacks Head Coach Scott Robertson said: “This will be an epic rematch in one of the world’s great sporting cities. All Blacks supporters will remember well the last time we faced Ireland at this venue, which launched one of our fiercest modern rivalries. This is an awesome addition to our 2025 schedule; we look forward to bringing the team back to the US and being part of this sporting spectacle.”

Overnight Scotland Rugby confirmed their 2025 end-of-year schedule including a November 8 clash with the All Blacks, their first meeting in three years.

England Rugby also released their schedule which includes tests against New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and Argentina.

Wales will face the All Blacks and Springboks in back-to-back weekends to end 2025.

All Blacks 2025 Tests
France, Forsyth Barr Stadium, July 5, 7.05pm
France, Sky Stadium, July 12, 7.05pm
France, FMG Stadium, July 19, 7.05pm

Rugby Championship
Argentina, TBD, August 16
Argentina, TBD, August 23
South Africa, Eden Park, September 6, 7.05pm
South Africa, Sky Stadium, September 13, 7.05pm
Australia, Eden Park, September 27, 5.05pm
Australia, Perth, October 4

Grand Slam Tour
Ireland, Soldier Field, Chicago, November 2, 9am
Scotland, Murrayfield, Edinburgh, November 9, 3.10am
England, Twickenham, London, November 16, 3.10am
Wales, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, November 23, 3.10am

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission